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These sports departments need diversity

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Joe Williams, Sep 18, 2017.

  1. Joe Williams

    Joe Williams Well-Known Member

    Of values and political outlooks, that is. Makes me wonder about the homogeneity of those covering the grown-up news beats. (Actually, it doesn't make me wonder at all -- can pretty safely assume which way those folks lean as well.)

    Analysis: Chicago sports journalists vote Democrat
     
  2. cjericho

    cjericho Well-Known Member

    Lot of people on that list with only one vote cast. Didn't the MTV Rock The Vote ads air in Chicago.
     
  3. Alma

    Alma Well-Known Member

    I don't think diversity is so much needed as editors/bosses need to challenge their talent to think critically and discard biases when they can.

    The industry is overwhelmingly liberal. That goes without saying.
     
    Bronco77 likes this.
  4. Bronco77

    Bronco77 Well-Known Member

    Hard to say where you'd find reporters and editors who could provide more political diversity.

    My shop has about 30 people, and I don't think there's a conservative among the bunch. Based on observations, there are about a half-dozen independents, with the rest staunchly liberal, progressive Democrats.

    And one of my best friends, staunchly conservative, works for the nearby major metro, which has a newsroom staff of about 120. He says he's the only avowed conservative, although he thinks there probably are a few who lean right but don't talk about it.

    Heck, strongly conservative NewsMax is based in this area, and even many of the staffers there lean to the left (the company doesn't make conservative politics a prerequisite for employment, and both conservatives and liberals like the high salaries there).
     
  5. Twirling Time

    Twirling Time Well-Known Member

    Rush Limbaugh is probably a closet communist, but you don't shit where you eat.
     
  6. MisterCreosote

    MisterCreosote Well-Known Member

    Sports departments don't need more political diversity, they need more doses of "STFU about politics on Twitter."
     
    HanSenSE, Alma and doctorquant like this.
  7. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    Most of the conservatives I knew at newspapers worked the desk. Of course, most of them are gone now.
     
  8. PaperDoll

    PaperDoll Well-Known Member

    Does Illinois have open primaries? If not, voting in a Democratic primary one year and Republican in another would require changing parties. Around here, that takes time and effort, and is not something most people would do to support a single candidate.

    I'd also be curious to see the overall results for Democratic and Republican primary turnout for the area as a control. Correlation isn't causation, and it's quite possible the journalists follow the same trend as the general population in Chicagoland.
     
    I Should Coco likes this.
  9. Alma

    Alma Well-Known Member

    Agreed. But, of course, there are stories sports writers must cover that require them to blend sports and politics. And it'd be good if they had more than one perspective.

    A lot of this comes back to the editors and their perspectives. If they're OK with reporters running their mouths on Twitter, who's to stop it.
     
  10. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    Does putting your politics out there "help your brand"? I'm kind of anti-"brand" so I think journos should try and connect with everyone and not let their personal views interfere with how people digest the info you are delivering. On the other hand, I understand that in the new universe, every journo (especially the personalities/opinionistas) is supposed to have a "brand" and instead of being everything for everyone, be something specific for a specific group in order claim a loyal following.

    In theory, the thing that sets the talking heads on tv and radio and columnists/bloggers apart from the rest of the drooling masses is access to players, coaches and front office types. I'd rather get their thoughts on political and social issues.

    The Kaepernick thing is a legit story. Not only for its political/social implications, but also because the NFL has always been seen as a "win at all costs" proposition. All teams do everything they can to be as good as they can be. That's always been the beauty of sports in general in that teams have broken barriers in the name of competition. Jackie Robinson was a great ballplayer. Alabama was competing against teams that recruited black athletes for national championships. I imagine once the crap starts hitting the fan in various NFL cities, a distraction like Kaepernick would be a welcome change from discussing the latest loss.
     
  11. I Should Coco

    I Should Coco Well-Known Member

    I'm fairly certain you have to register ahead of time as a Democrat or Republican to vote in Illinois primaries. If it was just walking up on election day and asking for one party or the other, how could they have dug up the stats on those sportswriters?
     
  12. franticscribe

    franticscribe Well-Known Member

    I am shocked, shocked I tell you!, that a "news" outlet with this kind of statement on its "About" page would be trying to make hay out of the voting histories of sports journalists.

     
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2017
    cranberry likes this.
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